Strangers
by Elsey Snape
Summary: Twelve year old Chuck needs to think. Bart listens to his son. Angsty.


Strangers

He didn't know why he had agreed to come, but Bart Bass was at a party at his son's best friend's house. He didn't mind the Archibald boy. He was nice. Mainly though, he was quiet. Chuck wasn't quiet. Bart had fought with every nanny the boy ever had to keep him quiet when Bart was around. But he supposed that his son was just a bit too difficult for the nannies and for the most part he let it slide.

He thought that maybe the Archibald boy was slightly afraid of him. He liked that. Well, he didn't like frightening twelve year olds but the fact that the boy was scared would make him behave around him. That sat well with Bart.

But the Archibald boy's parents were something else. The father, "the Captain" as he was called, was arrogant and boisterous. The mother, Anne, was everything he hated in women: submissive, but manipulative. She knew how to get exactly what she wanted, and he could respect that, but she would stop at nothing. Even Bart Bass had boundaries.

As Anne Archibald introduced Bart to Lily van der Woodsen, he saw the Archibald boy wandering around looking as if he were searching for someone. Lily had mentioned that her daughter Serena was also there and that Chuck and Serena were friends. Bart of course knew this, though he had never met Serena. Nathaniel was the only friend of Chuck's that he had ever met. About the same time, Lily caught the attention of a pretty blonde girl with a dazzling smile. The girl came over and Lily introduced her to Bart.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Bass. Um, have either of you seen Chuck around? We kinda lost track of him a while ago." She looked at the adults guiltily, with a hopeful smile.

"No, sweetie, I haven't. Have you tried the terrace? I know he likes to look out at the city sometimes." They hugged when Serena left. Chuck never hugged Bart. Chuck never seemed interested.

"You look worried. Don't be. I'm sure he'll turn up soon. Those kids won't stop looking until they find him." She tells him with a smile. Bart isn't reassured. He had thought the kids were all upstairs. It hadn't occurred to them that they might get separated. He excused himself so that he could find his son and hopefully leave. The party had begun to wind down and he was tired of socializing.

He looked around the whole parlor and then wandered upstairs to a considerably quieter sitting room with a few people scattered about, talking. He had heard talk of a balcony so he found it and stepped out onto it. He took in the view for moment before clearing his throat to announce his presence.

"Father. I actually forgot you were here." Bart nodded to his son and stepped closer to the boy.

"This is where you've been hiding? I don't blame you. It's nice out here." Bart sat next to Chuck on the small bench. He could almost feel his son tense as he sat down. "Relax, son, I'm not mad."

Chuck sighed in relief. "Is it time to go?" He knew his father hadn't really wanted to come that night.

"If you're ready. I'm surprised you haven't been with your friends all night. I saw Nathaniel looking for you and Serena came and asked if we had seen you."

"Yeah. I needed a break from them. I just wanted to be alone and think for a bit." Chuck stood and walked to the rail. Being so close to his father always made him uneasy.

Bart watched his son closely for the first time in years. He had grown so much, looked so much like his mother. His son was usually smiling and laughing. He always joked with the servants and played tricks on them, causing mischief everywhere he went. But now, he seemed so serious and he reminded Bart so much of himself. "What did you need to think about?"

Chuck looked up in surprise. "You really want to know?" Bart nodded. Chuck thought a moment about what to say. His father never talked to him unless it was to tell him to be quiet or to tell him to do better in school. Usually, his father talked _at _him. They never really talked though. Chuck wasn't sure what to say. "About them."

"Care to elaborate?"

Chuck shook his head. "Not really." Bart sighed, thinking his son didn't want to really talk. Chuck turned to his father and sighed. "Well, you see, Nate and Serena like each other." He looked at his father who was no longer watching him. "What I mean is, I see them kissing all the time but they don't see me. I told Blair but she doesn't believe me. So I left the group because I couldn't deal with them anymore. Blair and Serena are best friends and Blair loves Nate and Nate is my best friend."

"Do you feel left out? You want them to notice you?"

Chuck shook his head, "I don't really know what I want. That's why I needed to think. To try to clear my head before I said something to one of them that I'd regret." Bart nodded. "I talked to Giselle about it but she doesn't know what I should do either." Chuck sighed and slumped further into the bench. He just wanted the night to end. "Can we go home now?"

"Of course. The party seems to be winding down. You go say goodbye to your friends. Don't let on that anything is wrong. Just tell them you met a pretty girl and you thought you should entertain her." He winked at his son who flashed him a smile. His son had smiled at him. That was a first. Chuck nodded and went to find Nathaniel and Blair. He figured Serena wouldn't be too far from those two.

Bart remained on the balcony a moment then went to say his goodbyes. The night hadn't been a total waste of time. He had met some important people and that Lily van der Woodsen was a lovely lady.

Bart watched his sleeping son that night. He had slipped into his son's bedroom after he was sure he was asleep. Bart hadn't watched his son like this since he was a baby. There was so much he didn't know about his son but he feared it was too late for them. Perhaps they would always be strangers. Maybe it was better that way.

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